RJ’s Licorice Choc Twists

On a recent vacation (or “holiday”) trip in New Zealand’s South Island, we were doing some grocery shopping before hitting the road for our next destination. We’d already picked up a couple of bags of Cadbury Jaffas to take home as candy mementos, and were looking for something else unique and representative of Kiwi candy culture. These RJ’s Licorice Choc Twists immediately jumped out out me.

I was introduced to the joys of chocolate-and-licorice as a taste combination by the M&M’s-like Lakrits licorice-coated chocolate “lentils.” It’s a combination that ought not work, but it does, at least to sophisticated palates like mine! So I was intrigued by this treat that puts the chocolate on the inside of a soft(ish) licorice twist. Or “whip” as we’re more likely to say in the States.

I grabbed a bag and stuffed it in my suitcase, and much to my regret didn’t open it until we got home.

As soon as I bit into one, I was hooked. They’re fat little chunks of licorice twist, about 1.5 inches long, with milk chocolate filling the hole in the middle of the tube. Though soft, the licorice gives a very satisfying little “pop” when you bite into it. It’s very good licorice, though you wouldn’t call it “gourmet.” And the chocolate likewise is just good enough. Better than the kak they put in M&M’s these days, but not, you know, high-end, single-origin, bean-to-bar chocolate. Just yummy milk chocolate.

That bag disappeared in short order. Well, its contents. I kept the bag to remind me to get some more. You can learn more about this candy and RJ’s other products on their website. And you can find out how to purchase the stuff if you’re not in New Zealand, although it’s a bit unclear whether the chocolate-filled variety is available in the U.S. If you’re a fan of chocolate-licorice candy, it’s worth searching out.

Gary has been reviewing music, books and more at the Green Man Review since sometime in the previous Millennium. He lives in a mostly hipster-free part of Oregon, where he enjoys dogs, books, music, the outdoors, and craft beer, cider, and coffee.